Displeased with Russia’s incessant attack on Ukraine, the United States of America through its assistant secretary of state, Molly Phee has urged African nations to come in solidarity and speak with one voice against Russia’s attack on Ukraine. She made the call on Thursday while speaking with African journalists at a digital press meeting. She sought to mainly talk to African journalists to discuss with them the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, in the context of its impact on African nations.
According to her, she believes that African voices matter in the international community, and their votes are very important to effectively send a message that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is highly unacceptable. She believes that in this critical time, it is a time for the international community to demonstrate unity and speak with one voice against Russia’s aggression.
In her words, “We recognize that the early days of this conflict are already having an impact on African economies as they are in the United States and elsewhere in the world. We see the rise of fuel prices, commodity prices and we know that this disruption is doubling hard given the earlier impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are already engaged in efforts to promote stable energy and commodity prices, we are working on the supply chain.
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You saw this week that President Biden joined other international leaders in releasing strategic oil reserves in efforts to manage fuel prices. I also know that there has been genuine concern and alarm about the treatments of Africans who have been studying in Ukraine. I want you to know that we are proud of Ukraine. The foreign minister has made clear that all individuals caught up in the chaos of this war must receive equal treatment. The government of Ukraine has established emergency hotlines for African students.”
On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to reprimand Russia for invading Ukraine, demanding Russia to stop fighting and withdraw its military forces. UN general assembly resolutions are known to be non-binding which makes them carry political weight. With Wednesday’s vote, there might be a symbolic victory for Ukraine as the resolution was supported by 141 out of the assembly’s 193 members. 35 members abstained and 5 voted against. There was an unusual shock at the UN as Russia’s traditional ally Serbia voted against them.
The UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres made some remarks immediately after the vote. In his words, “the message of the General Assembly is loud and clear. End hostilities in Ukraine now. Silence the gun now. Open the door to the dialogue now”. After the vote at the UN, Zimbabwe had to come out to say that the vote denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine further complicated the situation. Zimbabwe alongside Namibia, Congo, South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Senegal, South Sudan, Mali, Sudan, Guinea, Gambia, Algeria, and Madagascar is said to be the African countries that abstained from voting.
According to analysts, they see Zimbabwe’s approach as returning the favour of Russia, after the superpower alongside China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution seeking sanctions against Zimbabwe in 2008. According to Zimbabwe’s government, “the situation in Ukraine is a very complex one and is deeply rooted in the history and geopolitics of that region”.
I am not surprised that quite a good number of African nations refused to vote against Russia because, in 2019, Russia held its first Russia-Africa summit which was attended by 43 African leaders. Trade and diplomatic relations drastically increased between Russia and Africa in the area of energy and mining mostly. According to Stockholm International peace research institute, Africa accounted for 18% of all Russian arms exports between 2016 and 2020, with Algeria, which also abstained, being the largest recipient.
While the U.S is happy that the vote at the UN was higher than almost any vote count they have seen in response to international events, they should not forget to note that quite a good number of African nations (17) abstained from voting against Russia. I feel it is not in their place to urge African countries to vote against Russia, as some of them are in a good relationship with Russia, with Zimbabwe as a case study. I believe every country has its right to whatever it pleases to do.
Analysts say that while many Africans disagree with Russia’s use of force, the continent’s governments are aware of Russia’s power on the world stage. Separately, South Africa issued a statement on Wednesday urging Ukraine and Russia to find a way to de-escalate tensions. Steven Gruzd, the head of the Russia-Africa Program at the South African Institute of International Affairs says that African states are well aware of Russia’s power in the international system. “African countries are mindful of the role Russia plays in international politics.
The U.S urging African countries to speak must note that Africa belongs to the non-Align group that stays away from the power bloc in international conflicts. Moreover, Africans depend on these blocs for aid and investments and cannot afford to antagonize any of them. E.g, Russia grants aid and scholarships to many Africans. What becomes the fate of these students if they’re expelled for reckless comments by their home governments?